Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yomelanie’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yomelanie’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant height; uniform and freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; lavender purple-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering in early to mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yomelanie’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthmum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Yomelanie’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivarshaving inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractivefloret colors and good garden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made inJanuary, 1996 in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary selection ofChrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 93-L392001, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with theChrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Empire Crown Jewel, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 9,738, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newChrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grownin a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. in October, 2001. Theselection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form,attractive floret coloration and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingsin a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since January, 2002, has shownthat the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yomelanie has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Yomelanie’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Yomelanie’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray        florets.    -   5. Lavender purple-colored ray florets.    -   6. Natural season flowering in early to mid-October in the        Northern Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered later than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were darker in        color than ray florets of plants of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Empire Crown Jewel inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter, more freely        branching and denser than plants of the cultivar Empire Crown        Jewel.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered later than plants of        the cultivar Empire Crown Jewel when grown under natural season        conditions.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Yomindy, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,880.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yomindy in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more        mounding than plants of the cultivar Yomindy.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days        later than plants of the cultivar Yomindy when grown under        natural season conditions.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Yomindy.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Alcala, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,211.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Alcala in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more mounding later than        plants of the cultivar Alcala.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week        earlier than plants of the cultivar Alcala.    -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum resisted        fading longer than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Alcala.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Yomelanie’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of the cultivar ‘Yomelanie’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington,Ontario, Canada during the late summer and early fall in an outdoornursery under conditions and practices which approximate those generallyused in commercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. One cutting wasplanted in a 15.25-cm container in mid-July, 2004. Plants were grownunder natural season conditions. During the production of the plants,temperatures ranged from 10° to 32° C. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar    Yomelanie.-   Commercial classification: Daisy-type garden Chrysanthemum.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number            93-L392001, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar            Empire Crown Jewel, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,738.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous daisy-type            garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with mounded crown.            Stems initially upright, then outwardly spreading. Freely            branching with about ten primary branches with lateral            branches potentially forming at every node. Vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 34 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 54 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Aspect: Upright and            outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:            About 5.8 cm. Width: About 5.4 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:            Mostly truncate. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses mostly            parallel. Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent.            Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; veins prominent. Color:            Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker            green than 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: Close to 147A. Venation, upper surface: Close            to 147A. Venation, lower surface: Close to 146A. Petiole            length: About 2.1 cm. Petiole diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole            color, upper surface: Close to 144B. Petiole color, lower            surface: Close to 144B to 144C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated            oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals            above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Ray florets            developing acropetally on a capitulum. Very freely            flowering, about 45 inflorescences per lateral branch.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower in early to mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere.        -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About            5 mm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower            surface of phyllaries): More green than 147A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.75 cm. Depth (height):            About 9 mm. Disc diameter: About 1.4 cm. Receptacle            diameter: About 4 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 1.8 cm.            Width: About 6 mm. Corolla tube length: About 5 mm. Corolla            tube diameter: About 1 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Fused.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Surface: Concave to            mostly flat. Orientation: Initially upright, then            perpendicular to the peduncle. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 34 in one to two whorls. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 158C            overlain with close to 71A to 72A. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 158C underlain with 71A to            72A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 5 mm.            Width, apex: About 2 mm. Width, base: About 1 mm. Number of            disc florets per inflorescence: About 163. Color: Immature:            Close to 144B. Mature: Apex: Close to 9A. Mid-section: Close            to 144C. Base: Close to 155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 22. Length:            About 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,            upper surface: Close to 147A. Color, lower surface: More            green than 147A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 3.8 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 7.25 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: About 40° to 45° from vertical. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 12A.            Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on both            ray and disc florets. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:            Close to 6A to 9A. Stigma color: Close to 9A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemumhave not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been    observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from    0° to more than 38° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yomelanie’,as illustrated and described.